Thursday, July 14, 2016

Ark Encounter and Public High Schools

According to Tuesday's Lexington Herald-Leader, now that Ark Encounter has opened in Kentucky, the Freedom From Religion Foundation has sent letters to more than 1,000 school districts in Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana and West Virginia telling them that field trips to the Noah's Ark theme park would violate the Establishment Clause. FFRF says it would expose students to proselytizing. In response, Kentucky Education Commissioner Stephen Pruitt told schools that field trips should be an extension of classroom learning, and that neither outside groups nor the state Department of Education should dictate selection. Meanwhile FFRF has also protested the participation of two Kentucky high school marching bands in Ark Encounter's July 5 opening ceremonies. (FFRF press release.)